FINLAND WARNED

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25456, 10 February 1944, Page 5

FINLAND WARNED

NOTE FROM AMERICA ADVISED TO SEEK PEACE LONDON, Feb. 8. In a statement at Washington, the Secretary of State, Mr Cordell Hull, said that the United States Government had sent ano'ther warning to Finland to make peace with Russia and Britain. The Note stated: “ Otherwise the Finnish Government must alone bear the consequences ef continued collaboraj tion with Germany.” The Associated Press says that this 1 warning to Finland was the first* American action concerning Finland for some time, and it is suggested that the Finns might be under an Allied diplomatic as well as a military offensive to force them from the war. “ Clinging to Dreams ” The Moscow radio, quoting a leading article in the newspaper izvestia, stated: “ The war has taught the crazy Finnish imperialists nothing. They are still clinging to wild dreams of territorial aggrandisement—of a Greater Finland—but they are likely to awaken to see the Red Army before the walls of Helsinki itself. “ Let the ruins of Helsinki fall on the heads of the Fascist rulers of Finland. The Finnish invaders very soon will regret that the war continues. The Soviet peoples do not forget that the Finnish invaders have been looting for two years on Soviet soil. They have inflicted heavy wounds on Leningrad. The sufferings of our brothers in the Karelo-Finnish Soviet Republic call for revenge and retribution. We have not forgotten them.” A spokesman of the Finnish Legation in Washington said that Finland’s position was unchanged. Even if Helsinki were razed the Finns would not surrender, he added. Struggle Behind Scenes The Stockholm newspaper Aftonbladet says that behind the scenes a struggle is going on between the antiRussian Acting Prime Minister (M. Vaino Tanner) and other members of the Cabinet. Diplomatic circles believe that if Finland adopted an antiFascist regime Russia would be ready to grant a separate peace to Finland. The paper adds that meanwhile Russia is believed to have prepared plans for a separate peace with Finland. An observer in touch with the Russian Legation at Stockholm says that the peace conditions would include the surrender of the Finnish Army, the handing over of all war material to Russia, and the occupation by the Russians of all strategically-important points in Finland, including Helsinki, which would, however, be administered by the Finnish authorities. The Finns would be expected to do everything in their power to prevent the seven German divisions in Finland from leaving the country.